Welcome to the Ultimate Team Sport

On a bright autumn morning, as the mist lifts from the River Thames, and our coxless four zips effortlessly away from the bank, you pinch yourself as you remember how lucky the RAF community is to enjoy the Central Fund facilities at Danesfield near Medmenham. As well as canoeing and force development, Danesfield hosts the RAF’s Home for Sport for rowing.

In addition to twice weekly meetings for rowers from throughout the Thames Valley, Danesfield provides a terrific and homely base for three 4-day Learn to Row courses every year. The latest of these courses, at the end of September, saw 40 rowers from complete beginners to GB trialists, engage in the ultimate team sport. The course culminated in the athletes competing against the Navy and the Army in the Joint Services Regatta at Reading; Novices with only a few days on the water won silverware alongside our more experienced crews such as the Senior Men’s Eight.

The RAF Rowing Club represents all disciplines within the sport. In addition to the sliding-seat fraternity, we support Cornish pilot gigs at RAF St Mawgan and send several contestants to the British Indoor Rowing Championships. Rowing is an incredibly inclusive sport; we arrange overnight trips down the Thames for recreational rowers and much of our fleet can be converted for adaptive rowing to accommodate para-athletes who might be prevented from participating in other sports. You are never too old to row, British Rowing offers Veterans’ classes from age 27 to over 85. Don’t think you have to be a 6’6” gym monster to row, lightweight events are popular for those under 72.5 kg (men) and 59 kg (women). And while we are on the subject of slender participants, we are always looking for people to squeeze into the coxing seat.

If you are an existing rower, or are interested in trying out the sport for the first time, you can email us at rowing@rafsport.org, or contact our Development Officer, Paul MacDonald on 01494 497496.